The Way Up Is Down

Life only advances through downward mobility, not upward mobility.

The problem:  everything in dominant culture  – preaches upward mobility.   I mean:  no one wants to be number two – just ask Donald Trump – everyone wants to be number one.  We want the best burger – the beautiful house -- the brightest kids.   

But the best, beautiful and brightest are often not delivered through status and pride.   The best, beautiful and brightest are ultimately delivered through sacrifice and servant-hood.  Downward mobility – not upward mobility!   Remember:  it was only after Jesus ‘…made himself nothing…” (Philippians 2:7) “…taking the very nature of a servant [a slave]…” (Philippians 2:7) – that “…God exalted him…[giving] him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…”  (Philippians 2:9-10).  

So too for us; we also do not advance, until we retreat – until we realize:  we live by dying – we go up by going down.

The Titanic is recent, familiar disaster epic movie.  But long before The Titanic there were other disaster epic movies – one of the best being:  The Poseidon Adventure.  The Poseidon Adventure was based on the true story of an ocean liner in the 1960’s – the SS Poseidon -- that was struck by a mountain-sized tidal wave. But surprisingly it did not sink; rather it was flipped completely upside down – so that the upper decks were submerged – and the only part of the ship remaining -- on the surface -- were the lower decks.  

Well in the movie the plot develops as it follows the exploits of eight passengers – led by a Catholic priest.  Well there are lots of twists and turns to the plot – but it finally advances as the featured passengers ‘figure out’ – that the only way to the surface and safety was to literally climb down through the lower decks.  And so the eight featured passengers literally climb done through the lower decks.  

But as they do – they are ridiculed repeatedly – most prominently by a larger group of passengers led by the ships doctor – who are headed up to the upper decks out of sheer habit – influenced by the status and bearing of the ship’s doctor.  Well passionate words are exchanged – but nothing changes.  The ship’s doctor and his group – keep heading up – and the Catholic priest and his group – keep heading down.  And the result soon becomes obvious:  the ship’s doctor and his group keep heading up and perish – the Catholic priest – and his group – keep heading down – and prosper.

      

The same reality is ours: prosper or perish.  Go ahead:  keep on the path of upward mobility.  Follow status and bearing.   The majority are with you.  But I’m telling you, it’s a dead-end – it’s futile.  But choose the path of downward mobility.  Follow the odd and counter-intuitive.  Go with the few, the minority.  It’s life giving and has a future. 

God wants you to have a future – but it only comes as you do empty yourself, … [making] yourself nothing…” (Philippians 2:7 – ‘…taking on the nature of a servant…” (Philippians 2:7) -- a slave.   As you show compassion to others – going beyond status and pride – sacrificing for those around you.   

For we are to be like Jesus; to be specific: our “…attitude should be the same as that of …Jesus…”  (Philippians 2:6) – who “….being found in appearance as a man…[nevertheless] humbled himself…and become obedient….”  (Philippians 2:8).  

Be humble and be obedient.  Puncture pride.  Empty your life.  Make yourself nothing.  

Comprehend:  the Christian faith is not just love and grace.  It's paradox.  For the old Puritan prayer is spot on:  "...to be low is to be high -- [a] broken heart is [a] healed heart -- the valley is a place of vision...the way down is [indeed] the way up..."